Foreign Ministry released respective statement on February 4

Kyiv welcomed the resolution on Crimea passed by the European Parliament on Thursday. In it, the EU’s authoritative body condemns the illegal annexation of the peninsula by Russia and points at the unacceptable violations of basic human rights in Crimea.

“We confirm the facts mentioned in the resolution and share deep concern of the European Parliament about the critical situation with watching human rights at the peninsula, systematic attacks of pro-Russian occupation government at basic rights and freedoms of dissidents, above all – Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians (…)”, reads the Foreign Ministry’s statement.

“Forceful inoculation of Russian citizenship and politically motivated persecution of leaders of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian activists pose special threat in this regard. We support the European Parliament’s appeal to Russia, urging to release Oleg Sentsov, Olexandr Kolchenko, Akhtem Chyigoz, Ali Asanov and other illegally detained citizens”, the statement says.

Earlier this day, the European Parliament approved the resolution on Crimea, in which it urged the international community, including the Hague Court, to start investigation of potential crimes committed during and after the illegal annexation of Crimea.